On the last couple of lines of Amud Bet, when it talks about how vegetables take away your eyesight, is this true or just a midrash? Also, if it is true, which vegetables? Rashi says it's the "tumi veKarti" that are healthy and the rest of the vegetables aren't. But also says that he's heard an opinion of the reverse. Which is correct?
Daniel Sterman, Teaneck, NJ, USA
The Gemara says, "It is not permitted for a Talmid Chacham to live in a city that has no vegetables." RASHI (DH Ein) comments, "[The reason is] because vegetables are beneficial to eat and are inexpensive and one is able to toil in learning Torah."
The Gemara then brings the Beraisa which implies that vegetables are not beneficial. The Gemara in Eruvin answers that one statement is talking about "garlic and leeks," while the other statement is talking about all other vegetables.
It seems that the Gemara is giving a medical truth, at least according to the nature of the world at the time of the Gemara, and not just a Midrash.
Rashi seems to accept his second explanation there (56a) that garlic and leeks are healthy, while other vegetables are not. Certainly, though, if modern medicine and present day experience shows that these items are beneficial for a person, then certainly one should follow their advice. It could be that the species of vegetables, or the nature of the world at the time of the sages of the Gemara, differed from our times (for example, the vegetables then were much, much richer in minerals and nutrients, and eating more than just a little could indeed have been harmful).
Y. SHAW